red lion Posted November 23, 2022 Posted November 23, 2022 I just purchased an 2002 V11 LeMans from Boston, I'm in california. Just before I left to go to the motor vehicle department I noticed there was no engine number on the engine block.Where the numbers should be it was blank, Maybe the tag fell off. Are the engine numbers located in any other place also?
Tomchri Posted November 23, 2022 Posted November 23, 2022 No TAG, engraved left front. Have not spotted anything else,, hard looker. Cheers Tom.
red lion Posted November 23, 2022 Author Posted November 23, 2022 The spot where the engine numbers should be looks perfectly smooth but blank. It looks like the factory just missed it. If the CHP would let me engrave a number, what engraving tool would be best to use?
footgoose Posted November 24, 2022 Posted November 24, 2022 ahhh, I wonder if your '02 had the block replaced under warranty due to bubbling paint. That was one of the options. Seems odd they'd leave off a s/n though. I have seen early Triumph cases with a blank spot. What is the condition of the block paint? you would use number/letter stamp tools, but be very careful 3
gstallons Posted November 26, 2022 Posted November 26, 2022 IF the engine block is a perfect krinkle black , the engine case has been replaced.
red lion Posted December 8, 2022 Author Posted December 8, 2022 The krinkle black looks real good, That could be what happened. Anyway the CA. CHP let me engrave my own numbers and it is now registered. Thank's 2
al_roethlisberger Posted January 26, 2023 Posted January 26, 2023 Yep, my 2002 has no engine number anymore either because my cases were factory warranty replaced waaaaay back when due to the early bikes having their fuzzy black paint bubble off. I've always wondered if no longer having engine case numbers may cause a problem one day from a documentation perspective, but it of course isn't the bike's VIN, so probably not. Although I suppose being an issue or not may vary depending on where one lives and the relevant vehicle laws regarding registration and titling. 2
al_roethlisberger Posted January 26, 2023 Posted January 26, 2023 On 12/7/2022 at 10:45 PM, red lion said: The krinkle black looks real good, That could be what happened. Anyway the CA. CHP let me engrave my own numbers and it is now registered. Thank's I'm curious why CHP cared if the block had an engine number? It's been almost 20 years since I lived in CA, but I don't recall engine number on titles or registration. Is that required?
KINDOY2 Posted January 26, 2023 Posted January 26, 2023 3 minutes ago, al_roethlisberger said: I'm curious why CHP cared if the block had an engine number? It's been almost 20 years since I lived in CA, but I don't recall engine number on titles or registration. Is that required? Yes..They do that now when registering a vehicle from out of state...once its been registered in Ca they never check again. 2
footgoose Posted January 26, 2023 Posted January 26, 2023 8 hours ago, al_roethlisberger said: I don't recall engine number on titles or registration. Indiana goes by the frame for vin. I know Wisconsin used to use engine numbers for awhile at least. I had to get an affidavit for an outa state purchase. When the bike was titled here they went with the frame #
audiomick Posted January 26, 2023 Posted January 26, 2023 Just for interest's sake: In Victoria, Australia, both engine number and frame number are in the papers, and the police go looking for them both if they do a vehicle check. In Germany, the frame number (VIN) is in the papers, but the engine number is not. Given the reputation for being finicky about details that Germans have (which often bears up in reality...) I don't understand that at all. 2
al_roethlisberger Posted January 27, 2023 Posted January 27, 2023 Well, if it ever becomes a problem with my 2002 for me or a future owner, I don't know how we'd substantiate what happened unless MG USA has a record of the warranty work perhaps. The shop that did my work has been out of business for a decade or more, so I can't call them Perhaps like KINDOY2 a new engine number can be assigned by the "authorities" if necessary one day.
audiomick Posted January 27, 2023 Posted January 27, 2023 9 hours ago, al_roethlisberger said: Perhaps like KINDOY2 a new engine number can be assigned by the "authorities" if necessary one day. I would assume it can. There are a number of ways an engine number can get "lost". For instance, my first bike had sometime in it's life before me been stolen and recovered. The thief had (very sloppily) filed off the engine number. I don't know what he thought he would achieve, as the file marks were obviously visible, and the frame number was still intact. Anyway, when the bike found it's way back to the rightful owner, the police (or maybe the rego office) supplied a new number that was then stamped in. That was in Australia, but I can't imagine that a similar procedure would not apply in the USA.
docc Posted January 27, 2023 Posted January 27, 2023 It seems to me that stealing my quirky Italian bike would be a grand folly for the thief. It reminds me of this delightful read from Hagerty: "A Few Things to Know Before Stealing My 914" 1
audiomick Posted January 28, 2023 Posted January 28, 2023 That's a very nice read. Doesn't apply to the aforementioned first bike, though. That was a 1983 Suzuki GSX 250 E. Very boring bike: everything on it just worked. Properly. 1
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